Hi everyone,

Well, I've finally got my act together to start our FAMILY blog ... this is something that I've been wanting to do for some time now! So here is our new online home: http://vandenbos.typepad.com/family_from_the_forest/

Michelle xxx

What a difference having some SUN makes! OK, so in many ways that's reassuring to know that some of the this 'down-ness' really is winter related ~ and I'm not going totally crazy. Now what to do with that 'I should be able to do more' feeling, despite the fact that the weather is dull and miserable and so unmotivating. We still have another couple of European winters to go before we head back downunder!

We've found another house to move into and we can move in on the 1st March. What a relief. So that's our news of the day.

As far as getting back to basics are concerned this is what we did today:

• 2 loads of washing
• hot spot: my mess in our bedroom   .... 15 minutes
• took Jackson to daycare in the morning (Sammy comes with me and the older children stay home ~ this time while I was out M and J, on their own initiative, were testing each other on this weeks dictation passage)
• The Arrow ~ finished this weeks dictation passage from one of our read-alouds and discussed this months literary element (similes and metaphors)
• 1 chapter from each of our read-alouds (Justin Morgan Had a Horse and A Little Princess)
• morning computer time (30 minutes)
• Lunch time ~ the girls and me met up with Caryn, Emily and Peggy at Starbucks (Michael stayed home by himself and called Marcel or me every half-hour to check in with us)

Well, I'm home and have a couple more things I want to get done before I hop on my bike to go pick up Jackson. The girls are now at Em's home for an afternoon play, dinner and a chicks flick. Michael is enjoying an usually huge amount of time on the PSP WITHOUT any competition. Tonight we have our fortnightly Bible discussion at Brian and Caryns so looking forward to that and then its into our weekend!

• grey skies become the norm for you
• you hide under the doona when your three year old tells you to get out of bed
• all your Aussie friends are saying how hot it is there
• your kids are searching the cupboards for food but there's no motivation to go outside in the rain/cold to do shopping
• you don't know where the energy will come from to just get the basics done let alone homeschool four children
•  no need to go on and maybe not so unique to the Netherland winter!

Before you get too concerned about the kids, let me reassure you THEY are doing OK, in fact, they are doing really well. Despite my lack of routine they remain happy, are learning lots and they continue to be very energetic (maybe that's a really good reason to NOT to go food shopping, JUST KIDDING!). They are way too energetic for me at this present time. I can honestly say I have no worries for them except for those niggling concerns that comes with the parenting territory ~ you know, for example, 'am I ruining their lives by being their mum?'. The learning comes so easily to them and they continue to just go with the flow even when a situation might be changing on an almost hourly basis.

Me on the other hand .... and you may label it whatever you want (winter blues, depression, lack of Vitamin E, overwhelmed, not got my ducks in a row, culture shock, etc) ... I'm really struggling with life. And overlaying all of that is frustration. There is so much I want to do here, and yet, I feel like I'm going around in circles chasing my own tail. Actually, it feels more like I'm tripping over my own tail!

Anyways, after praying about this situation (again) I am wondering if simply getting back to some basics, putting first things first, might help with the frustration I'm getting into the habit of experiencing. So for the rest of February that is going to be my goal ~ putting first things first. And to keep myself accountable I'm going to blogging about how I'm going with it. Hopefully it won't be too boring for you .... and not too much of a laugh for you either!

So tonight I did some Flylady suggestions: cleaned my sink, got my clothes ready for tomorrow and, as soon as I post this entry, spending 15 minutes of decluttering.

Tomorrow's plans:

• get out of bed with Marcel
• quiet time (15 minutes)
• breakfast
• morning computer time (15 minutes)
• supervise kids with their morning routine
• read to Jackson before starting school with older kids
• hot spot: desk (10 minutes) 

Ok that will be a good start!

Update: It's been a productive morning! As tempting as is was to keep adding to my list I'll just get some consistency with these things before focusing on other things. This afternoon we'll spend some more time with our lessons.